Five Mistakes Companies Make with Employee Engagement

In the modern business world, ensuring high levels of employee engagement is vital for achieving success. It determines whether you have a thriving workforce or high turnover rates that hinder growth. Engaged employees bring their best to every project, stick around, and even become ambassadors for your organization. Talk about a win-win! 

But here’s the deal: many companies fumble when it comes to employee engagement. And guess what? It seriously affects employee performance, motivation, happiness, and workplace culture. So, we’ll dive into the five big mistakes that companies often make when it comes to engaging their employees. By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can inspire higher levels of performance while simultaneously promoting employee satisfaction and engagement. 

1. Only Sending Gifts When Employees are Already Anticipating 

When it comes to recognizing employees, don’t let the excitement fizzle out on expected occasions like birthdays and holidays. Missed opportunities for surprise can make interactions less meaningful. But here’s the secret sauce: embrace spontaneous and unexpected recognition! It’s all about creating a culture where appreciation can happen anytime, for any achievement, no matter how small. The most meaningful and lasting praise often comes when it’s not tied to specific occasions or anticipated dates. Managers should remember to express appreciation without employee anticipation, but more importantly, they should do it thoughtfully and genuinely.

2. No Effective Ways To Measure Impact Of Engagement

Employee engagement can be tough for people leaders to measure. It’s not easy to measure, and that’s especially true when it comes to return on investment for engagement strategies. Understanding how engaged your employees are is crucial for improving performance and crafting effective strategies. So, one mistake to avoid is not having effective ways to measure the impact of engagement.

To tackle this, try setting clear goals for engagement and gathering feedback using surveys and other methods. Ask your team about recognition, feedback, communication, growth opportunities, and work-life balance. Don’t forget exit interviews, focus groups, and stay interviews too! By having a solid plan and metrics in place, you’ll have a better grasp on how your employees feel about their roles and what steps you should take next. Remember, measuring engagement is the key to unlocking a happier and more productive workforce.

3. Lack of Persistence

Some HR and people leaders tend to throw in the towel too soon, without giving the employee engagement results enough time to reveal themselves. Engagement requires a long-term perspective and execution. 

Ever wonder what HR professionals deal with on a typical day? HR spends a whopping 73% of their time on administrative tasks, like recruiting, record-keeping, developing HR systems, and everything in between. If companies want to see real growth, they need to shift their focus, or at least have the tools that help them manage initiatives. 

With Client Giant’s intelligent employee engagement and gifting program – Happier People, HR and People leaders can transform their company culture and make meaningful connections with their teams. We bridge the gap between companies and their culture, helping you keep your teams connected, increase retention, inspire employee happiness, and more. So, say goodbye to admin headaches and hello to a more engaged workforce with Client Giant.

4. Sending Everyone the Same Gift

People are different and all share different interests. Lack of personalization will be the easiest way to take the wind out of an employee engagement strategy. Your employees aren’t all the same, so why treat them like they are? 

To truly engage your employees, it’s important to personalize your gestures of appreciation. Offering small tokens of recognition in day-to-day interactions is a great start, but when it comes to significant accomplishments, go the extra mile and make it meaningful and personal. Remember that showing that you value each employee’s individuality requires a thoughtful approach. A one-size-fits-all employee recognition approach is a sure fail. Standing out isn’t about simply stepping into the spotlight to promote your message. It’s about shining a light on someone else, making it all about them – your team. That’s why the employee care package should be tailored to them and their interests.

5. Thinking Swag is a gift

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that company swag is a real gift. Employees see right through it. Those branded bottles or hats might be great for culture, but they won’t make anyone feel truly appreciated. A survey conducted shows that 82% of people feel let down by generic swag gifts with logos. Branded gifts are 60% less likely to be remembered and more likely to end up collecting dust in a junk drawer. 

Sure, it’s great for building company culture and can be perfect for occasions like onboarding or job offer packages. But when you want to show genuine appreciation to your employees for their hard work, it’s time to think beyond swag – it just doesn’t cut it. Put some thought into finding meaningful and useful gifts that truly convey how much you care. That’s what will make a lasting impact.

With a deep understanding of these common employee engagement mistakes, you are now equipped to make strategic investments in creating a meaningful and effective employee gifting strategy. By showing your team that you value their contributions, you can inspire better performance, satisfaction, and overall employee engagement. Create a strong team that feels valued and motivated to contribute their best by investing in meaningful employee engagement strategies – it’s a win-win for both your employees and your organization’s success.